


the gift of the timelords

by natalunasans



Series: Fellow Adventurers [10]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka
Genre: Angst and Humor, Dysfunctional Relationships, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Inspired by The Gift of the Magi - O. Henry, M/M, Other, Suicidal Thoughts, Villains, also ten has a lot more upswings than shalka doctor, but i think of poisoning the tea as a shalkaverse thing, i mean it really could be ten/simm too in my versions anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 19:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10860441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natalunasans/pseuds/natalunasans





	the gift of the timelords

The Master hasn't 'gone good'. He _chooses_ not to kill the Doctor, _chooses_ not to commandeer their TARDIS, _chooses_ to look after them. Each time a free choice, each time a fresh decision. He tells himself he can always choose to return to his true evil ways... tomorrow.

All this struggle with his nature, it wears on him. But he never tells the Doctor, because they seem relatively happy with things as they are, and he can't bear to plunge them back into the void of depression.

He knows there's no question of a cure. But sometimes, helping the Doctor feel better… is a close enough simulacrum of winning.

* * *

 

The Doctor isn't exactly _happy_. They have moments of joy or contentment, but many days pass in a grey haze of postponing the inevitable. The thought that they could always choose death another day, or even have death thrust upon them, is sometimes all that keeps them alive. They don't tell the Master, because he seems to be settling in, finding other hobbies than universal domination.

They don’t kid themself that they’ve reformed him; not even the Doctor is such a dreamer.

On those days when they really don’t want to live, they fear he’ll _never_ get round to poisoning their tea. When the crisis passes, they’re always slightly relieved that he didn’t, and yet… sometimes they wonder what they’d do without the suspense.


End file.
